Brook Street Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Brook Street Primary School Edward Street, Carlisle, Cumbria CA1 2JB

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Outcome

Brook Street Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school. Pupils new to the school said that it is easy to make friends at Brook Street School. Children in the early years enjoy learning in the exciting environment that leaders have created, both inside and outdoors. Older pupils eagerly take on responsibilities such as being sports leaders and librarians.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that leaders have high expectations of their learning and behaviour. Pupils respond well to leaders’ aspirations. Most pupils behave well and work hard. This helps them to succeed in a range of subjects. Pupils feel safe and happy in school. Bullying is rare. Should it occur, pupils are confident that it would be dealt with quickly by staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn about different cultures and beliefs. They understand the importance of respecting the views of others. Visitors from the local industry help to broaden pupils’ aspirations and careers choices. These visitors give pupils an insight into attending university or working in engineering.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the broad range of clubs that they can join, such as puzzle club, craft club and ‘youth zone’. Trips to living museums, and the theatre, enhance the curriculum further. Pupils enjoy the many opportunities that they have to explore the outdoors. Residential trips help to build pupils’ confidence, resilience and teamwork.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have designed a well-planned curriculum from the early years to Year 6. They have thought carefully about the needs of all pupils, including pupils who speak English as an additional language and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have ensured that staff have the knowledge that they need to deliver the planned curriculum effectively. Staff, particularly those new to teaching, benefit from sharing ideas and expertise with other colleagues. Staff use assessment information well to identify 16 and 17 March 2022

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what pupils know and remember. This helps them to plan what pupils need to learn next. Staff are skilled in identifying pupils with SEND. This ensures that pupils with SEND receive the support that they need to be successful and achieve.

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Leaders routinely check how well the curriculum helps pupils to know and remember more over time. Leaders have identified the key knowledge and vocabulary that they want pupils to know across a range of subjects. Teachers ensure that prior learning is embedded before new learning is introduced. This helps pupils to make links between subjects. However, in a small number of subjects, the key vocabulary and knowledge that pupils should learn are not as clear. This means that teachers are not sure what should be emphasised when delivering the curriculum. This prevents some pupils from gaining the building blocks that they need for later learning. This hinders pupils’ progress.

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A love of reading is fostered throughout the school. Older pupils become avid readers. They talk enthusiastically about the books that they have read. Pupils appreciate the wide selection of books available to them in the school’s library and online. Younger pupils enjoy listening to the stories that the adults read to them. In the early years, children are encouraged to join in with traditional songs and rhymes. In the Reception class, staff are skilled at developing children’s spoken language and communication skills.

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The new phonics programme is delivered effectively by staff. Pupils quickly learn the sounds that letters represent. The books that pupils read match the sounds that they are learning. This helps them to become confident, fluent readers. Pupils who find reading challenging, including those at the early stages of reading in key stage 2, benefit from the support that they receive.

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Leaders have created a calm environment in which pupils can learn. Pupils are polite and well mannered. They listen carefully in lessons and focus on their work. Pupils who struggle to manage their emotions are supported effectively to maintain their concentration. As a result, there is little disruption to learning.

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The broad range of opportunities that leaders provide such as ghyll scrambling and musical performances support pupils’ personal development admirably. Pupils learn about different cultures and celebrate differences.

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Governors use their knowledge and experience effectively to hold leaders to account for all aspects of school life. Staff appreciate the support that leaders provide and know that, where possible, their workload and well-being are carefully considered when leaders make decisions that bring about change.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff receive up-to-date training. This ensures that they know the signs to look out for, and the procedures that they need to follow, should any concerns about pupils’ welfare arise. Leaders’ engagement with other agencies and charities enables them to provide additional help for pupils and their families. 16 and 17 March 2022

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Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations. They understand the importance of appropriate friendships and how to use the internet safely. Pupils know how to report any worries or concerns that they may have to adults in the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the key knowledge and vocabulary that leaders want pupils to know is not clear. This hinders the teaching of the curriculum and the progress that some pupils make. Leaders should ensure that teachers understand the knowledge and vocabulary that are essential to pupils’ future learning so that pupils can build on what they know over time.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2012.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 16 and 17 March 2022

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In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 16 and 17 March 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10226112 Type of school Primary School category Maintained

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.brookstreetschool.co.uk Date of previous inspection 7 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not currently use any alternative provision.  A new chair of governors has been appointed since the last inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector spoke with representatives from the governing body. The inspector also spoke with the headteacher, members of the leadership team and staff. The inspector reviewed a range of documentation relating to governance and safeguarding.  The inspector held a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. The inspector met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited 16 and 17 March 2022

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lessons and spoke to staff. The inspector looked at pupils’ work and listened to pupils read. She also spoke to pupils about their learning and their experiences at the school.  The inspector considered the response to Ofsted Parent View. This included the free- text comments. She also spoke with parents and carers at the start of the school day. The inspector reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Amanda Stringer, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 16 and 17 March 2022

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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